India traces downed drones to Turkish manufacturer Asisguard amid growing military and political support from Ankara to Islamabad
New Delhi, May 9 – Turkey has emerged at the center of an escalating India-Pakistan conflict, following revelations that Turkish-made drones were deployed by Pakistan in a large-scale aerial incursion targeting both civilian and military locations across India.
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At a government press briefing on Operation Sindoor, Indian authorities revealed that Pakistan launched 300–400 drones overnight between May 8 and 9, violating Indian airspace across 36 locations, stretching from Ladakh in the north to Gujarat in the west. Indian forces reportedly intercepted and neutralized several of these drones using kinetic and electronic warfare systems.
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Forensic analysis of the drone wreckage confirmed that the majority of drones were Asisguard Songar models—manufactured in Turkey. The Ministry of External Affairs and the armed forces flagged this as a serious escalation, drawing attention to Turkey’s deepening military support for Pakistan.
Strategic Backing from Turkey
Turkey has long been a vocal ally of Pakistan on geopolitical issues, particularly Kashmir. The close ties were on display when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif within hours of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 Indian civilians. Following the meeting, Sharif thanked Turkey for its “unwavering support.”
In the aftermath of the terror strike, Turkey reportedly dispatched military aid to Pakistan, including six Turkish Air Force transport aircraft believed to be carrying weapons and equipment—claims which Ankara denied, stating the aircraft were on routine refueling stops.
Furthermore, the Turkish Navy’s TCG Buyukada (F-512) corvette docked in Karachi days after India’s retaliatory airstrikes under Operation Sindoor. Turkey called it a “routine port call,” while Pakistan described it as a show of “goodwill” amid tensions.
Ankara Backs Islamabad’s Narrative
Following India’s precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and PoK, Turkey was the only major country to publicly side with Islamabad’s version of events. President Erdoğan expressed solidarity with Pakistan and described the Indian strikes as having resulted in “civilian martyrdom”—a claim strongly rejected by Indian officials who reiterated the surgical nature of their operation.
India has expressed concern that the recent drone attacks may have been orchestrated by Pakistan not just for offense but also to test Indian air defense systems and gather intelligence. The use of Turkish-origin drones in these attacks has raised further alarm in Delhi about Ankara’s role.
Defense Ties Deepening
The strategic alliance between Turkey and Pakistan is expanding rapidly. In 2024 alone, Pakistan officially purchased over $5 million worth of arms and ammunition from Turkey. In addition to the Asisguard Songar drones, Turkey has also supplied Bayraktar TB2 and Akinci drones to Pakistan for surveillance and combat purposes.
Naval cooperation has also grown significantly. Turkey is building four MILGEM-class corvettes for the Pakistan Navy. Two—PNS Khyber and PNS Babur—have already been delivered, with PNS Tariq and PNS Badr under construction at the Karachi Shipyard.
As Operation Sindoor continues and tensions rise, India’s strategic community is now closely monitoring the Turkey-Pakistan axis, especially in the context of terrorism and cross-border hostilities.
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Turkey Pakistan relations, India Pakistan conflict, Turkish drones India, Operation Sindoor, Asisguard Songar, Erdogan Shehbaz meeting, Turkish military aid Pakistan, India drone interception, Kashmir tension, Turkish weapons Pakistan, OperationSindoor,